


Red is the One that Travels the Farthest

by beyond_the_irish_sea



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Canon Compliant (Mostly), Game: Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, M/M, Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24410674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beyond_the_irish_sea/pseuds/beyond_the_irish_sea
Summary: Lea has been recompleted, but Isa is nowhere to be found. It's a good thing he'll always be there to bring his friends back.Takes place during the events between Re:Coded and KH3, with flashbacks of their school days in Radiant Garden.
Relationships: Axel/Saïx (Kingdom Hearts), Isa/Lea (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 16





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cutscene reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJQUr5-LmlE

In the centre of the wreck of a world known as Hollow Bastion stood a castle. Once, the world had contained a beautiful town named Radiant Garden, but the events which transpired within that accursed castle had rendered the world uninhabitable to all but heartless.

However, after ten long years of dereliction, humans had appeared in the castle’s basement laboratory once again. Only two were conscious; the other six were still out cold. 

“That was more difficult than I thought, but at least things are on track. Lord Xemnas is nowhere to be seen, so that means… the party’s already begun, huh?” said the man with an eyepatch.

“Yes,” replied his companion, a younger man with silver hair and piercing amber eyes.

“Man, does that Xehanort scare me like no-one’s business. The way he can see into minds. And it doesn’t help that no-one knows what it is that the old man wants. I wonder if even you know what’s going on inside your own head.”

The eyepatch man, Xigbar – or was he Braig now? – grinned as he spoke, taunting the young Xehanort who had just been yanked out of his own timeline. Experiments, nobodies, vessels, time-travel… Things were about to get awfully complicated. And he was enjoying every minute of it.

“I will be led… wherever it is I am destined to go.”

“Sounds to me like you don’t have a clue of your own."

“Every keybalde master is bequeathed a keyblade of his very own. With the pass of time, as you can imagine, more and more keyblades were forged to be passed down. Of all the keyblades in existence, Master Xehanort’s is the most ancient. That is my destiny. But it has yet to become a reality.”

“This is all connected to the ancient Keyblade War, isn’t that right? Whatever. I got my hands full with my own plans.”

Braig had had enough of Xehanort’s sanctimonious ramblings. He was a man of action, not chitchat – his missing eye and the scar on his face was evidence of that. In order to move things forward, they needed more vessels. Most of the Organization had proved unfit for purpose; some had succumbed to the illusion of human emotion, others had been shamefully defeated by a fifteen-year-old boy.

However, the Organization hadn’t been a total failure. Xehanort could sense that one of the people in the room was still connected to him; a vessel in the making. Even though the deed had been performed by his older self, the power of the sigil resonated with the younger man as well. 

“So, which poor soul will it be?”

“S –”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: irishkhfan


	2. Recompletion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cutscene references:
> 
> https://youtu.be/EOoMOV7v9i0  
> https://youtu.be/ONER_wwUvFI  
> https://youtu.be/-72H9TnEh70

Lea slowly regained consciousness, sprawled on a cold steel floor. He slowly got to his feet, his gait unsteady and head spinning.

_I feel like I’ve been hit by a train…_

“Where… What happened to me? Roxas?”

The memories of recent events came flooding back. He had been fatally wounded by Saïx, after which he used the last of his strength to save Sora, and then he had caught a final glimpse of Roxas before disappearing… Although the latter encounter was surely just the projection of a dying soul. Roxas was gone; he had returned to Sora. And Axel should have returned to nothing, where he truly belonged.

Yet there he was, definitely not dead.

He gasped when he saw a reflection of himself on a glass surface. He was still wearing an Organization coat; that much hadn’t changed. But his face was bare, as it had been ten years ago, before his life went to hell. 

_The tear marks are gone. That means…_

He put a hand to his chest and felt the beat of his heart. Axel was gone, and Lea was back.

He surveyed the room, which was sickeningly familiar. It was a windowless laboratory hidden away in the basement of Ansem’s castle, full of bizarre contraptions and countless computer terminals, some of which were still functioning. The wall was adorned with a large portrait of the man who called himself Ansem, and whose nobody went by the name Xemnas.

Lea tried in vain to supress the torrent of memories about what had transpired at the hands of that man, in the very same room in which he now stood. Experiments on the nature of the heart, of which he had been a subject.

Four other men were sprawled on the floor, in varying stages of consciousness. They were people Lea would rather have never seen again.

“Dilan, Aeleas, Even, Ienzo… We’re people again. But only the ones who joined the organisation here. I guess Xehanort doesn’t count.”

He couldn’t care less about the fate of that bastard. He had more pressing concerns.

“But where are Braig, and… Isa?”

***

Hours of searching every inch of the castle – what was left of it, anyway – had yielded no results. Isa was nowhere to be found.

Lea was powerless against the torrent of human emotion pulsing through him. After years of watching his best friend morph into a callous shadow of his former self, he had resigned himself to the fact that the old Isa had died that day and was never coming back. However, when he had regained his humanity, Lea hoped the same had happened to Isa. After all, they lost their hearts at the same time, why shouldn’t the same have happened with their return? Perhaps they could start over, and pretend the last decade never happened. It’s a shame real life is not so simple and clean. The initial thrill of hope had given way to despondency, as if Isa had been snatched from him a second time. 

_That’s the trouble with having a heart. They’re very easy to break._

It was Braig’s co-occurring absence that was most concerning. Aside from Xehanort himself, Braig had been the one most responsible for Lea and Isa’s fate. He got some sort of twisted pleasure from seeing the test subjects suffer, a sadistic streak that continued after he lost his heart and became Xigbar. He certainly knew more about the Organization’s true purpose than he let on.

“Where are they? I’ve turned this castle upside down,” Lea sighed as he returned to the room he woke up in.

Aeleus and Ienzo were attempting to restore order to the laboratory; Aeleus was returning discarded books to their rightful place while Ienzo organised stacks of reports. Their calmness pissed Lea off. Two of their former comrades were missing, yet there they were, tidying up.

_Just because you have a life to return to, doesn’t mean the rest of us are so lucky._

“Hey, are the other two still out cold?”

“Dilan and Even are conscious again, but still unstable,” Aeleus replied, refusing to even look at Lea. The tension in the air was palpable. “They’re resting inside.”

Lea had no idea what happened to Dilan, but he knew Even’s condition was the direct result of how violently he lost his heart. He was beginning to feel guilty about that; another annoying emotion. That man had caused him enough suffering, always prioritising his precious research no matter how many lives were ruined in the process. He freaking deserved what he got. However…

_Perhaps we were all victims of Xehanort._

“Gotcha. Well, I guess I’ll give the castle grounds a sweep.”

“Don’t. If they were back, we would have found them by now.”

“So, do you think they were blasted off to some other world or what?”

“I highly doubt it,” Ienzo chimed in. “When someone who has lost their heart is recompleted, they should return to the place it happened. And, if that world is unavailable for whatever reason, a refuse is made for them in the realm between. A world called Traverse Town. They would be sent there, or perhaps –”

_Oh, shut up._

“No, look. The fact is, we’re here, we’re recompleted, right? Then they should be here too. Plain and simple.”

“I agree. It is strange.”

_Strange is an understatement._

Lea didn’t despise Ienzo quite as much as the other apprentices; he was only a kid back then, after all. But he was still irritating.

“Agh! What a drag! Could they not have been recompleted at all?”

“Well, you see –”

“Ah, forget it! You know what, I’ll bring ‘em back myself.”

“What? How, exactly?”

Lea looked over at the wall, which was covered in scribbled notes that had mostly faded. Three letters remained visible: **D T D**.

It was a risk. Even with the coat, a newly restored heart like his would be especially vulnerable to succumbing to the darkness if he used a dark corridor. But it was a risk worth taking.

“Why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?”

***

To aimlessly wander from world to world in the hope of finding Isa would be a fool’s errand. Lea needed to find someone knowledgeable about matters of light and darkness, someone with the ability to traverse worlds without relying on the darkness. He remembered that Sora, Donald and Goofy had been accompanied by someone else when they stormed The Castle That Never Was, a mouse they called ‘the King’. He knew a little about the King from Organization recon missions; he was a powerful keyblade master who ruled over Disney Town, a world so saccharine and full of light that the Organization avoided it as much as they could. That was where Lea decided to head.

The scene that greeted him when he materialised was unexpected, to say the least.

“Pete! You big thug!” yelled Donald, the King’s court magician and a one of Sora’s travelling companions.

“Hehe, thug works for me. We all got a role to play, right?”

“Gawrsh, at least he’s honest, in a dishonest kinda way…” said Goofy, captain of the King’s knights and also a companion of Sora.

“Silence! No underling of mine will be insulted so!” ordered Maleficent, the instigator of the current situation.

Maleficent and Pete had seized Queen Minnie and were yakking away about Xehanort, darkness and seizing control the worlds. Mickey, Donald and Goofy were powerless, unable to retort for fear of hurting Minnie. The scene was oddly familiar; there was once a time when Axel had also kidnapped a girl to use as leverage over a keyblade wielder.

_This time, the tables have turned._

Still cloaked by the darkness, Lea tossed his chakrams in the general direction of the pair, startling them and giving Minnie the opportunity to escape.

“Light!” she shouted as she summoned a column of light powerful enough to knock Pete off his feet. “Maleficent, you lose!”

Maleficent opened a dark corridor to make a hasty retreat.

“I now know that I seek lie within these walls. Trust that I will eliminate you in good time,” she muttered as she disappeared into the darkness. 

“Hey, wait for me, Maleficent!!”

Pete followed her into the darkness. Once they were gone, Lea decided to reveal himself. 

_I always did like to make a dramatic entrance._

The Disney Town denizens gasped as they recognised the man they knew as Axel.

“You used the darkness to get here? That was reckless!” the King chided.

_Dude, I just saved your ass. I don’t think you’re in a position to lecture me._

“But gosh, I didn’t expect you to save us… Axel.”

“Axel didn’t. My name is Lea. Got it memorised?”

“Does that mean you’re human again? And the rest of the Organization?”

“Absolutely. Anyway, I came here to ask for a favour.”

Donald immediately scoffed at the idea, folding his arms and looking away from the former nobody with disgust.

“Get lost. Why should we help YOU?” he asked in his characteristically grumpy tone.

“But Donald, he’s a good guy now. Gawrsh, he saved Queen Minnie!” said Goofy.

“Goofy’s right,” said Minnie. “I think we should hear what he has to say.”

They looked at him expectantly, and Lea’s mouth went dry. He’d been so focussed on getting there, he hadn’t actually thought about what to say. For once he was going to have to be fully honest – no witty remarks, no cover stories. It had been a very long time since he had spoken about the past with anyone. Even with Roxas, he had preferred to focus on the present. But if had any hope of convincing the King and his crew to help him find Isa, he would need to explain himself. Once he started talking, the words just tumbled out.

“I know it’ll be hard to trust me, but hear me out. The whole reason why I joined the Organization in the first place wasn’t a lust for darkness, or because I wanted to follow Xemnas. Hell, I hated the guy. It was because… I had a friend. We went to school together back in Radiant Garden. You know as well as I do what happened in that world. Well, my friend and I were trapped in the middle of it all, and we couldn’t escape. Our hearts were ripped away from us, and to resist meant death. So, we joined the Organization with the aim of overthrowing Xemnas and liberating ourselves. But we didn’t succeed. Being in the darkness for so long screws you up.”

The display they had just witnessed with Pete and Maleficent was ample evidence of what succumbing to the darkness does to people. 

“Roxas changed things. He reminded me of what life was like before the Organization, when I was just a kid who could hang out and eat ice cream with friends. When I still had a heart. When Roxas was gone, I had nothing left. Even my old friend wanted me dead for betraying the Organization.”

“Gosh… We were so busy trying to stop Xemnas, we never thought that nobodies could have people they were fighting for,” said Mickey, remembering how DiZ had been adamant that the Organization members were merely soulless husks of their former selves to be eliminated at all costs. 

“No, you all did the right thing. Xemnas needed to be stopped, and because you took us all out, we became human again. But now my friend is nowhere to be found, which is why I’m here. I need to find him, but I can’t rely on the power of darkness anymore, so I need your help. Surely you can understand that; it seems you keyblade wielders spend most of your lives looking for missing friends.”

“Ain’t that the truth…” Mickey sighed, the fate of Master Eraqus’ missing protégés still weighing on his conscience.

“Gawrsh, so which Organization member are you looking for?” Goofy asked.

_And now for the biggest bombshell…_

“You knew him as Saïx. His real name is Isa.”

“WHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTTT?”

All four of them looked at Lea as if he had just set himself on fire. Of all the Organization members, his friend was that manipulating berserker? The one who had forced Sora to kneel before him?

“No! Absolutely not! Never! It’s a trap!” Donald said as he flapped about in anger.

“But Donald… Remember Riku?” said Goofy, deep in thought. “When we went on our first journey, he was all dark and scary, working with Maleficent. And then when we found him, he even looked like Ansem, hyuck. But his old pal Sora never gave up on him, and now he’s doing the Mark of Mastery exam!”

 _That dim-witted dog is surprisingly perceptive._

“Goofy’s right, Donald. It doesn’t matter how deep someone is in the darkness, as long as they have a light to guide them home,” Mickey said confidently.

The King’s words gave Lea a renewed sense of hope.

_If he keeps talking like that, I’m gonna tear up_

“So, will you help me?”

“Have some respect when you talk to the King!” Donald snapped.

“Will you help me, _your majesty_?”

“Of course we’ll help ya! You saved Sora when he was in trouble, and you just did the same for us. I trust ya, Lea.”

Lea couldn’t quite put words to how it felt to hear those words – pesky emotions. How long had it been since someone trusted him? Yet at the same time, he was perplexed at how quickly they had accepted his story – except Donald, who was right to be wary. This role-reversal from darkness to light was going to take a lot of getting used to.

_I saved Sora, sure, but I’m also part of the reason he needed saved in the first place…_

“You should take him to Master Yen Sid, Mickey,” Minnie suggested. “No-one knows more about light and darkness than him.”

“Master Yen Sid is the King’s teacher, hyuck. He sure is wise,” Goofy explained.

_They said the same about Ansem, and look where it got him. But I’ve got to take any chance I’ve got._

“Sure. Sounds good. Let’s meet this Yen Sid guy.”

“That’s Master Yen Sid to you!!”

It was quite apparent that Lea and Donald would not be holding hands and singing kumbaya any time soon.

“So how do you people of light travel between worlds?” Lea asked, ignoring Donald’s whinging.

Mickey pulled a small, star-shaped device out of his pocket; it looked rather like the charm Sora had clung to while in Castle Oblivion. He bid farewell to Minnie for the umpteenth time, and then prepared the strange device.

“Everybody, hold on!”

They disappeared in a flash of light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: irishkhfan


	3. Memory: The Day We Met

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some vignettes from when Lea and Isa first met.
> 
> I’m basing Lea and Isa’s school on the traditional British system.  
> In this chapter, they’re in third form, which is US grade 8. They’re thirteen/fourteen.

_A memory from the not-so-distant past…_

Third form is quite possibly the worst time to start a new school. Everyone’s just beginning to hit the turbulent adolescent years and friendships have already been formed; it’s a recipe for social disaster. And Lea wasn’t starting just any old school. After years of being on the waiting list, he had earned a place at the Royal School of Radiant Garden, the town’s oldest and most prestigious academic institution. For generations it had been the purview of the upper classes; only those who could afford the extortionate fees could send their children there. When Ansem the Wise came to power, he introduced sweeping reforms in an attempt to equalise Radiant Garden’s divided society, and that included funding Royal School places for those who couldn’t otherwise afford it. People like Lea.

On his first day Lea had to endure an hour-long enrolment ceremony with the other new students, during which the headmaster droned on about ‘expectations’, ‘perseverance’ and ‘aspirations’. His unruly mane of red hair was in sharp contrast to the regimented uniform he was required to wear. Cufflinks were definitely not his style.

Once the ceremony ended, he was taken to his dormitory by another boy in his year. Despite being the same age, the other boy was at least a head taller than Lea and a good deal less scrawny.

_Genetics are a bitch._

“The name’s Squall. You?”

“Lea. Got it memorised?”

Squall had little reaction to Lea’s catchphrase, much to his annoyance. He’d spent a long time coming up with that introduction.

“Right, Lea, there’s plenty you need to learn if you’re going to survive here,” Squall explained as he led Lea down seemingly endless corridors. “Remember the brochure they sent you? With all the pictures of smiling upper and lower class kids getting on just fine? Bullshit.”

They exited the main building and Squall continued his monologue as they walked across the well-kept grounds towards the boarding houses.

“On the surface, everything is equal. All classes and dorms are half scholarship and half fee-paying kids. But those rich gits _hate_ us, they think we’re beneath them. Charity cases. Those kids have connections to the most powerful people in this town, right up to Ansem the Wise himself. One wrong move, and you can kiss goodbye to any chance of getting a halfway decent job once you leave this place. Stick with me, and I’ll make sure you stay out of trouble.”

“Er… thanks?”

They reached the boys’ boarding house, a large three-storey house that had once been a stately home, now adapted to house hundreds of students. The house was engulfed in a flurry of activity as the students returned from the summer holidays, large suitcases in tow. Squall examined the room allocations pinned up by the entrance.

“Looks like you’re with me. Third floor.”

_Great. A whole year rooming with Mr Sunshine._

“There’s four in our room. You and I are the plebs. Then there’s Rufus, the son of the power company president. He’s a dick, don’t get on his bad side. And finally…” he raised an eyebrow as he read the final name. “Huh, didn’t think they’d put us in with him.”

“Isa,” Lea read out loud. “Is he another one to avoid?”

“He’s an odd one. Easily the richest kid in our year, if not the whole school. His dad is the second biggest landowner in Radiant Garden, second only to Ansem, yet he doesn’t hang out with the likes of Rufus. He doesn’t hang out with anyone, really. Keeps to himself.”

Lea’s head was swimming with all the information. He had a lot of memorising to do.

***

Lea struggled to get to sleep that night, tossing and turning in the unfamiliar bed. He threw off the covers in frustration and sat up, surveying his new surroundings. Everything in the dorm was identical and impersonal: four beds, four cupboards, four desks. Rufus and Squall were fast asleep, but Isa’s bed was unoccupied.

_Guess I’m not the only one who can’t sleep._

He hadn’t gone far – Lea spotted him standing by the window, his blue hair illuminated by the faint moonlight. He was staring intently at the night sky, deep in thought.

Lea had barely seen his fourth roommate all day. Squall was right: that kid was definitely strange. Yet there was something about the way that Isa lived in a world of his own that Lea found intriguing. Despite their vastly different upbringings, Lea suspected they had certain similarities; neither fit neatly into the strictly defined social spheres of their world. Perhaps Isa was a stray puppy like himself, or maybe he was just exceptionally stand-offish.

Lea didn’t say anything for fear of waking the others, but made a mental note to properly introduce himself to Isa in class tomorrow. And then he’d ask what on earth was so interesting out the window.

***

The next day, before class started, Squall introduced Lea to his two closest friends. One was a small girl who wore a white bandanna over her short black hair, which was definitely against regulation, and the other was a taller girl with long light-brown hair.

“The name’s Lea, got it memorised?”

“Uh, I guess? Nice to meetcha Lea, I’m Yuffie,” said the black-haired girl, grinning. “So you’re Squall’s new roommate. Sucks to be you.”

“Watch it, small fry,” Squall retorted.

“Who’re you calling small?” Yuffie snapped, chucking balls of paper in Squall’s direction. “Just you wait until I get my hands on some real shurikens, then you’ll be sorry!”

“Welcome, Lea,” said the other girl, giggling at the other two bickering. “I’m Aerith. Ignore them, they’re always winding each other up. They like each really.”

“I absolutely do not!” they both said in unison, faces flushed. 

_I think I’ll fit in just fine with these guys. Oh yeah, I meant to talk to that blue-haired kid._

Lea looked around the classroom and noticed that one of the desks was unoccupied. His elusive roommate was nowhere to be seen.

“Hey, isn’t Isa supposed to be in our class?” he asked the others.

“Who, ghost boy?” Yuffie replied. “Technically yes, but he rarely turns up. And the teachers turn a blind eye, ‘cuz he always gets the highest exam scores. Really strange, like he doesn’t actually exist. Hence, ghost boy.”

_And so the mystery deepens…_

The bell rang before he could enquire further.

***

Lea wanted everyone to remember him; that way he could be immortal, living vicariously through the memories of everyone he had met. He never wanted to feel the pain of being forgotten again. His childhood had been a mess, born to people who never should have been parents. Their endless disagreements led to a messy divorce, and Lea was fobbed off to be raised by his grandparents while his parents got on with their new lives. Attending the Royal School would be the first chapter of the rest of his life, and he was determined to make sure everyone in the school remembered him. Even ‘ghost boy’.

And that was why he spent his first lunch break attempting to find Isa. If he was as intelligent as Yuffie implied, then the library would be the logical place to begin. It took him a while to find the place in the warren of corridors, relying on the printout map he’d been given at enrolment. It probably didn’t help that he was holding it upside down. Eventually he found his destination, a grand library that was apparently an exact copy of the library in Ansem’s castle. There were countless bookshelves divided between two levels, connected by an ornate staircase that was illuminated by the light streaming through several stained-glass windows. It certainly looked like it would be better suited to a royal residence than a high school. You could have heard a pin drop; very few students had reason to use the library on the first day of term.

Lea’s hunch was correct. Isa was seated at one of the desks, surrounded by stacks of books. His green eyes were fixed on a page of calculations, brow furrowed as he attempted to make sense of the string of data. In one hand he gripped a pen, ready to record a solution once inspiration stuck, and with the other he absentmindedly fiddled with a lock of blue hair. Most people wouldn’t have dared to break his concentration, but Lea was not most people.

“Hey there.”

Isa jumped, startled by the sudden presence. He’d been so deep in thought that he hadn’t heard Lea approach.

“I’m Lea. Got it memorised?”

Little reaction. Lea was beginning to concede that the catchphrase he spent so long coming up with sounded a lot better in his head.

“I’m new here. We’re in the same dorm.”

“Welcome,” Isa replied, returning his attention to his working, naïvely assuming that would be the end of their interaction.

“Wat’cha doing?”

Isa sighed and put his pen down.

“I _was_ working, until I was interrupted.”

“Why don’t you go to class?”

 _Why don’t you stop talking?_ was what Isa wanted to reply.

“It’s pointless. I can cover the material in half the time if I do it myself. And then I have more time to work on much more interesting topics.”

“Sounds neat. Tell me more.”

Isa’s initial annoyance had been replaced with absolute bafflement – who was this kid, and why was he so interested in what he was doing? Didn’t he have anything better to do? Then again, it had been a long time since anyone had taken interest in his work…

“Everything we are taught is based on the premise that Radiant Garden is all there is,” Isa explained. “However, there is considerable evidence suggesting that it wasn’t always this way, that the world is much bigger than we think. This world is stifling, which is why I’m trying to learn anything I can about other worlds. As children, we are told the world was once united, and then the worlds were fractured. What if it’s not just a fairy tale? What if there really are as many worlds as there are stars in the sky?”

Isa’s demeanour completely changed when talking about his interests; his face became brighter and he gesticulated as he explained his ideas. But then he caught himself and stopped, embarrassed at having infodumped to a complete stranger. His parents had tried to correct such behaviours; they were not becoming of someone of his social standing. However, Lea seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say.

“Man, imagine how cool it would be to see other worlds. Hey, is that why you gaze out the window at night? To see the stars?”

“Wh-what? How do you know that?”

“Like I said, I’m your roommate, and I have eyes.”

“I thought you were all asleep…” Isa mumbled, mortified. “Yes, it gives me inspiration.”

Lea leaned in closer to get a look at the page he was currently working on. Isa tensed slightly at the invasion of his personal space, although he wasn’t quite as repelled as usual. 

“Hmm. Looks hella complicated. What is it you’re trying to figure out?”

“The parameters that would have to be met in order to get an object beyond this world’s atmosphere, but there’s something important I’m missing. I can’t figure it out.”

Lea scrutinised the calculations in silence for a while, before pointing at an equation towards the start.

“That one’s out ever so slightly, and that’s screwing up all the subsequent data. But the rest of it’s totally over my head.”

Isa re-examined the section Lea was referring to, and realised he was right. How could he have missed it? He smiled, elated to finally be making progress.

“I’m not as dumb as I look,” Lea said with a grin.

“Of course you’re not dumb, or they wouldn’t have let you into this school.”

Their conversation was cut short when the bell rang, signifying the end of lunch.

“Tsk, I guess some of us mortals have to go to class,” Lea sighed, wishing he could pull off the illusive-absentee-genius act like Isa. “Guess I’ll see you later, ‘cuz we’re friends now.”

“We are…?”

“Yeah. We’re gonna be sharing a room, might as well talk to each other.”

“I see. I shall get it memorised.”

Lea made his way to class with a spring in his step. Someone finally liked his damn catchphrase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went to a school like this, I'm not even exaggerating how bad the class divide is. 
> 
> Also, Ansem the Wise was voiced by British acting legend Christopher Lee, so it's not too much of a stretch to make Radiant Garden really British in my headcanon ;)
> 
> Tumblr: irishkhfan


	4. Keyblade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cutscene reference: https://youtu.be/L6Fjz7JepOU

Using King Mickey’s Star Shard to travel between worlds was unlike anything Lea had ever experienced. One second he was standing in Disney Castle, the next he was enveloped by a blinding beam of light and yanked off his feet by an invisible force. His body felt weightless, effortlessly pulled towards their destination with exhilarating speed; he couldn’t help but grin like an excited child. The closest he’d ever come to such an experience was when he flew with Roxas in Neverland.

_Isa would love this._

Their very first conversation had been about reaching other worlds, back when Radiant Garden was their whole world. Memories of his past had been resurfacing rapidly ever since his recompletion. It wasn’t that he’d forgotten them per se, but ten years under Xemnas’ control was enough to shroud even the most precious memories in darkness, rendering them nothing more than a vague and unobtrusive daydream. Now it was different; he could vividly picture what his life had been like before he lost his heart, as if it was yesterday. He could picture Isa, smiling and animated as he gushed about his pet project.

Saïx had never smiled.

Lea’s attention was pulled back to the present when they reached their destination. He stumbled, getting used to the sensation of being back on solid ground. He took in his new surroundings; he was in a small, circular room with obscurely shaped windows and sparse furnishing. Not quite how he had imagined a Keyblade master’s quarters would look like.

Mickey, Donald and Goofy bowed before Master Yen Sid, a man with beady eyes and an impressively long beard. Lea quickly followed suit before Donald gave him another lecture about respect.

“Master Yen Sid, look who just saved us from Maleficent!” the King said, gesturing to Lea.

“Well, this is quite the surprise,” Yen Sid murmured, stroking his beard as he considered the man bowing before him. “It’s not often that an Organization member comes to the aid of a Keyblade master.”

“Ex-member,” Lea corrected as he stood up. “The name’s Lea. Got it memorised?”

“He’s on our side now, hyuck!” said Goofy, ever the optimist. “But Maleficent sure was saying some scary things. She was talking as if Master Xehanort is alive and well.”

“I had feared as much. And the presence of Lea here confirms my suspicions. If the Organization’s members are complete people again, Xehanort will be no different.”

“Every time we think we’ve defeated him for good, he just pops up again,” Mickey sighed. “Sora defeated Ansem, his heartless, then Xemnas, his nobody… Was it all for nothing?”

“Do not lose hope, Mickey. Those battles were necessary steps, but the final fight is still ahead of us.”

“Yeah! Once Sora and Riku become Keyblade masters, they can defeat that big palooka once and for all!” Donald said enthusiastically, waving his staff around.

“That brings us to our next problem. I have reason to believe that Xehanort is interfering with Sora and Riku’s exam.”

Mickey, Donald and Goofy gasped in unison, overcome with worry for their friends. Lea folded his arms and scowled, lost in thought. That bastard Xehanort seemed to follow him like a shadow, always interfering and ruining the lives of everyone he cared about.

“I sensed something was amiss nearly the moment Sora and Riku departed. Xehanort must have known what we were attempting before we even began,” Yen Sid continued, stroking his beard.

“But you must know where they are?” Goofy asked.

“You must understand, this examination is not how the Mark of Mastery is usually found However, in light of what they must do next, this exam was a necessity. If Sora and Riku complete this test, by finding the seven doors corresponding to the seven pure lights, they will return home with a new power. At that point, they will both be true masters. However, the dangers make this more trial than test.”

_Mark of Mastery? Seven doors? Seven pure lights? What language are these people speaking?_

“But are they safe right now?” Mickey asked, still reeling from the ambush attack on Minnie. If that was what they were prepared to do to a non-combatant, Xehanort and his cronies would have no mercy on Keyblade wielders like Sora and Riku. 

“Considering their ability, I would like to believe that they are. However, all my attempts to locate Sora and Riku end… questionably. Xehanort is a devious tactician; there is nothing we can do that he will not, to some extent, be able to predict.”

“Ahh, this is such a headache!” Lea sighed, scratching the back of his head as he tried to make sense of it all.

“Apologies, Lea,” Yen Sid replied. "I neglected to ask what your intentions are, now you have a heart. Will you side yourself with the darkness or with the light?”

“Look, I’m not on anyone’s side. But my intentions are simple: I want to find my friend, and I want to make sure Xehanort is stopped before he screws up any more lives. I guess that makes us allies in this fight.”

Yen Sid had been a Keyblade master long enough to be able to tell when someone posed a threat, but he detected no ill-intent in the former nobody. His resolve to rescue his friend from Xehanort’s clutches reminded him of a certain blue-haired Keyblade wielder from long ago.

“We cannot afford another moment’s hesitation. We must consider any strategy to outwit Xehanort and catch him off guard, lest Sora and Riku remain trapped in the realm of sleep forever.”

“Any strategy, you say?” Lea asked. “How about giving me a Keyblade?”

“WHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTT?” Donald, Goofy and Mickey cried in unison.

Even Yen Sid, usually so composed and expressionless, looked shocked at Lea’s request. Hell, even Lea was rather surprised – he’d just blurted it out without thinking.

“Absolutely not!” Donald snapped. “You can’t just _get_ a Keyblade, you have to _earn_ it.”

“Look, hear me out,” Lea said, interrupting Donald’s rant. “You’re lacking manpower, and I need a way to fight without relying on the darkness. Everybody wins.”

Yen Sid stroked his beard as he pondered the request. The fact that he was even considering granting Lea’s bizarre request showed how grave the situation with Xehanort had become. It would be highly unorthodox to bequeath a Keyblade to a man with such a dubious past, but they needed all the help they could get.

“Normally, becoming a Keyblade wielder requires years of training under a master such as myself. However, in times of great trial, such formalities may not be possible. Indeed, Sora had no formal training before he went on his journey.”

“Riku, too,” Mickey chimed in. “Even after being under Ansem’s control for so long, his heart was strong enough to become a Keyblade wielder. If he can do it, so can Axel – sorry, Lea.” 

“You must be aware, the road will not be easy,” Yen Sid warned.

_There’s been nothing easy about my life for the past decade, man._

“Fine, let’s jump right in.”

“Very well. We have much to do come morning, but first, you must rest. It is late, and you all have had an eventful day. The coming days will be even more eventful.”

***

Sleep eluded Lea that night. He tossed and turned in the unfamiliar bed, unable to switch off. Whenever he finally drifted off, unwanted memories filled his dreams, causing him to awake once again. Memories of being held captive by Xehanort, memories of Isa’s bloodstained face, memories of losing their hearts… It was enough to send him into a cold sweat.

He’d been running on adrenaline ever since he was recompleted, but now that he was alone there was nothing to distract him from the memories that he had been trying to supress for years. It’s easy to forget the past when you don’t have a heart – not so much when you’re a full person again.

_I should be happy. I’m free. The Organization can’t get me now._

_But…_

_It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. We were supposed to take over the Organization and defeat Xemnas together._

_Where are you, Isa?_

***

The following morning, Lea struggled to keep his eyes open while Yen Sid explained what would happen next. Unfortunately summoning a Keyblade wasn’t as simple as snapping your fingers until it materialises – there’s more to it than that.

“First, a Keyblade wielder must perform the inheritance ceremony, as I did for Mickey many years ago,” Yen Sid explained. “You must allow me to gaze into the condition of your heart. The Keyblade will decide if it deems you worthy to be its wielder.”

_He speaks as if the Keyblade has a mind of its own…_

“Go ahead. Whatever needs to be done.”

Lea replied casually, as if it was no big deal. In truth, the idea of letting anyone meddle with his heart again made him want to disappear into a dark corridor and never return.

_It’s for the greater good._

Without saying anymore, Yen Sid stood up, closed his eyes and outstretched his hand towards Lea. He muttered incantations under his breath, allowing him a glimpse into Lea’s heart; he had to ensure his heart had the fortitude required to wield a weapon of such power. Lea’s aura reminded him of Riku - a conflicting swirl of darkness and light engulfed his heart. He could sense a whole gamut of emotions from Lea’s newly restored heart, but one surpassed the rest: the desire to be reunited with someone he loves. That was a desire shared by almost every true Keyblade wielder.

“Hmmm… I sense a great source of strength deep within your heart. The memories of a time long ago are like a guiding light. The power of these memories is what enabled you to retain so much of your identity, even after losing your heart.”

_Memories…_

Lea had plenty of memories, alright. They had kept him up all night.

However, the memories Yen Sid spoke of were those buried much deeper. Memories of a time before Xehanort, before the experiments, before the Organization…

Memories of the time he spent with Isa, when they were just normal kids.

Back in the Organization, Roxas had often asked him about his memories, as the kid had none of his own. Lea – or Axel, as he was then – had refused to go into any detail, simply telling Roxas that memories were nothing but baggage. They were also dangerous: he’d seen what had happened to Sora when Naminé tinkered about with his memories.

Things were different now. If he trained hard enough, he could summon a Keyblade of his own and kick Xehanort’s butt. Then he would rescue Isa, and they would no longer be slaves of their past.

_When the battle is won, we can make new memories._

Yen Sid broke the spell and contemplated the results. The silence seemed to last forever.

“Well?” Lea asked, unable to wait any longer. “Am I worthy of a Keyblade?”

“I believe so, one on condition: you must never lose sight of what it is that guides you, otherwise you will be vulnerable to the darkness. If you can manage that, I see no reason not to bequeath you a Keyblade.”

“So that’s a yes?”

“Indeed, but you must remember –”

“Yes, I know, this is only the beginning, it will be hard, yadda yadda – I’ve got all that memorised. No time like the present to get started.”

Yen Sid cracked a smile, recalling a time long ago when he too had the enthusiasm of youth.

“So be it.”

Without further ado, Yen Sid summoned his own Keyblade, something he hadn’t done since retiring from active duty many years ago. 

“In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. No more darkness around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love.”

In a flash of light, the weapon rematerialized in Lea’s hand.

_Good grief, it actually worked._

The feeling was indescribable – power surged through him as he gripped the Keyblade, a power quite different from the dark powers he had relied upon in the Organization. Lea felt invincible. The feeling abated somewhat when the Keyblade disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. 

“The first step has been completed,” said Yen Sid. “I shall now pass you on to my good friend Merlin, a gifted wizard who can help you train. Under his tutelage, it won’t be long until you can summon a Keyblade of your own.”

“Excellent. Let me at it.”

“Before you go, I know three good fairies who could give you garments much more suited to an ally of the light.”

“I’d rather not,” Lea said quickly. “This coat… it’s a symbol of how Xehanort had control over me. I want nothing more than to burn it to ashes, but I’ll never truly be free of that man’s influence until I’ve found my friend.”

“An admirable decision. Now, the King should be waiting outside the tower – he will use his Star Shard to take you to Merlin. May your heart be your guiding key.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: irishkhfan


	5. Memory: The Dance of the Sun and Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lea and Isa are now in fifth form, which is the equivalent of US grade 10. They’re sixteen. 
> 
> CW: characters are victims of homophobia

_A memory from the not-so-distant past…_

It was an occasion that all fifth form students looked forward to: the end of term dance. The minute exams ended there was a flurry of activity leading up to the big evening; finding the perfect outfit, finding a date… It was all anyone could talk about. Well, anyone except Lea and Isa. It was no surprise that Isa had no intentions of going. He could think of an infinite number of things he’d rather be doing than wasting his munny on stiff, uncomfortable clothes and engaging in the ritual humiliation known as ‘dancing’.

For Lea, the reasons were more complicated.

“Lea! Earth to Lea!” Yuffie snapped, waving her hands.

“Huh, what?”

“Good grief, did you listen to ANYTHING I just said?”

“Erm… something about the dance?”

“Oh, for crying out loud…”

Lea, Yuffie, Squall and Aerith had gathered in the common room after dinner to discuss their plan of action for the event, although Lea’s thoughts were elsewhere. He should have been as excited as the rest of them – after all, he jumped at any opportunity to loosen up and make a fool of himself. It was the complicated social shenanigans that went along with it that were concerning him.

“As I was SAYING, before you zoned out, this dance is our opportunity to show those up-themselves rich kids that we know a thing or two about having a good time!” Yuffie announced. “And if they think I’m gonna wear some ridiculously expensive dress, they are mistaken. Look, I’ve already designed my outfit-”

She thrust a piece of paper in the others’ faces. It was a sketch of her planned outfit: a black crop top and extremely short shorts, accompanied by thigh-high socks and bulky laced boots. It looked more like something she would wear during her so-called ninja training.

“It’s… unconventional, to say the least,” said Aerith.

“It doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Not that I’m complaining,” said Squall, smirking.

“Oh, could you get a room?” Lea complained, to which the others burst out laughing.

“You’re just jealous that I’ve got a date and you haven’t,” Squall retaliated, slapping Lea’s shoulder.

These were the complicated social shenanigans that made Lea dread the upcoming dance: the expectation that they would all effortlessly pair up. These sorts of conversations made him uncomfortable at the best of times, and that had all been dialled up to eleven recently. Despite being part of the ‘charity case’ group, Lea’s natural charm and antics had earned him the attention of several of the girls in his year group. Yet he just couldn’t relate to them in the same way Squall got on with Yuffie. Sure, they were objectively good looking, and most were pleasant enough to talk with. But that was all. He much preferred to wax lyrical with Isa, laughing and talking about stupid stuff.

He had always known, deep down, that he was different from the others in a way he couldn’t quite describe. The reason was now becoming apparent, but he refused to acknowledge it.

“He’s not the only one…” Aerith mumbled, looking at the floor self-consciously.

“Aww, it’s fine, you’ve got a whole week,” Yuffie said, ruffling Aerith’s hair, much to her annoyance. “Didn’t that scary looking guy with the blonde hair ask you?”

“Cloud? Yes, he did,” said Aerith, wringing her hands. “But I said no. There is someone else I’d rather go with.”

“Oooooh!” shouted Yuffie, way too enthusiastically. “What are you waiting for? Just go and ask the guy!”

“Is that allowed? For the girl to ask the guy?”

“Who cares if it’s ‘allowed’?” Yuffie scoffed. “Since when did we follow social convention? You’re only young once.”

The rest of the evening was spent going through the preparations for the dance. They would need to do as many odd jobs as they could in order to save up the munny for their outfits; unlike most of the students, they couldn’t just ask their parents for everything. It seemed an awful lot of effort for the sake of a single evening. The evening dragged on, as once Yuffie got excited about something she had a tendency to control the conversation for _hours._

“As fun as this has been, I’m gonna hit the hay,” Lea announced, stifling a yawn.

“Honestly, you need as much sleep as a toddler,” Yuffie quipped.

“Nothing wrong with that. I'm going to sleep, then wake up, roll over and sleep some more. Gotta make up for lost time after all those exam all-nighters.”

Lea sauntered off towards his dorm, wondering if Isa would already be there. With all the hype surrounding the upcoming dance, he’d barely seen his friend since exams ended. His thoughts were interrupted when someone grabbed his sleeve from behind.

“Hey, watch it –” he said as he spun round. “Oh, it’s you, Aerith. Nearly gave me a heart attack there.”

“Sorry, Lea. I just wanted to talk away from the others…”

She was still clinging to his sleeve, too embarrassed to look him directly in the eye.

“Can I help you with something?” Lea asked, not quite sure what he was supposed to say.

“Well, I was thinking about what Yuffie said. You know, about how a girl should be able to ask a boy to be her date.”

“I mean, anyone should be able to ask who they like. Doesn’t matter what gender the asker is. Just go for it.”

“Yeah… you’re right.”

She summoned all the courage she could muster, and looked him straight in the eye. Only then did Lea realise what was coming.

_Ah, shit._

“Lea, will you be my date for the dance?” Aerith asked, trembling.

_Shit, shit, shit._

He’d known Aerith since he first came to the school. She was a nice girl, sure, although he’d never hung out with her apart from the rest of their group of misfits. She was a friend, and Lea regarded her the same as Squall and Yuffie. There was nothing more to it. And yet there she was, bold as brass, clinging to him and holding her breath with anticipation. No escape.

Words wouldn’t come. Lea’s mind raced as he struggled to come up with the correct response. Saying no would make things unbelievably awkward. Saying yes would save each of them the embarrassment of turning up alone. Perhaps he could grin and bear it for the sake of an evening, and then things could go back to the way things were. 

“Ah, yeah, I guess,” Lea stammered after an uncomfortably long silence. “Just for the dance, yeah?”

_What a pathetic response._

“Oh, thank you!” Aerith squealed, throwing her arms around him. Lea awkwardly reciprocated, not sure where to put his hands.

Aerith was happy. Lea had finally got a date, so he should be happy as well. He suppressed the voice in the back of his head that was telling him what a terrible mistake he was making.

***

The day of the dance came at last. The entire fifth form was swept up in a buzz of activity, preparing both the school hall and themselves for the big event. Lea cynically doubted the event would live up to the unbelievable amount of hype surrounding it.

_It’s just a bloody dance, not a right of passage. Damn, I’m beginning to sound like Isa now._

He and Squall were standing by the entrance to the hall, waiting for the girls to join them. They were both wearing rented formal suits, and Lea couldn’t help but feel hopelessly gangly in comparison to Squall’s bulk. Puberty was an unfair bitch.

“Hot damn,” Squall muttered as the girls finally appeared.

As promised, Yuffie was wearing the ninja-eque outfit she had designed herself. She’d spent hours in the art room putting it together, and was immensely pleased with the result. It certainly suited her non-conformist personality. Aerith, on the other hand, was the epitome of traditional femininity; she wore a long, flowing dress the colour of pearl, and her long hair was elaborately braided. Lea’s first thought was to wonder how the hell she afforded such an outfit. She could have been easily mistaken for one of the fee-paying students.

“Well, what do you think?” Aerith asked, smiling while twirling a lock of her hair around her finger.

“You look nice.”

_Wow, 10/10, give that man an award for response of the year._

“Come on, let’s go show these rich gits how to have a good time!” Yuffie yelled, grabbing Squall by the arm and marching into the hall.

Lea did likewise, albeit not as enthusiastically, and took Aerith by the hand and led her into the hall, as he had rehearsed in his head many times. Music reverberated throughout the hall, accompanied by the sound of umpteen giddy sixteen-year-olds dancing away the stress of the school year. Drinks were served, albeit of the disappointingly alcohol-free variety.

True to her word, Yuffie took delight in breaking every unwritten social code, breakdancing spectacularly when most of the other students were engaging in a much more refined slow dance. She and Squall complemented each other well; they were quite literally having a ball. Lea’s dancing with Aerith was more stilted in comparison.

He couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling that he was playing a part. He should be overjoyed that she chose him. Aerith was arguably the most stunning girl in the room, and was drawing the attention of plenty of the guys, much to their dates’ annoyance. Cloud especially looked like he would quite like to throttle Lea. No matter how much he tried to deny it, all Lea could think about was another person he would much rather be dancing with.

_I wish Isa was here._

No sooner had that thought come to mind, he was snapped out of it when Aerith narrowed the distance between them, leaning so close that he could feel her breath on her face. Despite her demure aesthetic, she could be quite ballsy when there was something she wanted. And she wanted Lea. Her lips met his, and he resisted the urge to push her away. This was not how things were supposed to happen. His attempt at reciprocating was awkward as hell; as far as ‘worst first kisses ever’ went, this had to be high on the list. He was the first to pull away, perhaps a bit too forcefully, as he could tell by the look on Aerith’s face that he had screwed up big time.

“I’ll get us some drinks,” he said, dashing away and leaving her standing perplexed.

_Idiot. Idiot idiot idiot._

He couldn’t take anymore of this. Like a reverse Cinderella, he bolted out of the hall into the night. He pulled off the tie from around his neck, tossing it on the ground in frustration as he hurried back towards the boarding house. He just wanted to collapse onto his bed, sleep, and awake to discover this had all been a terrible nightmare.

“You’re back early,” Isa stated matter-of-factly as Lea stormed into their dorm.

Isa was sitting on the windowsill, book in hand, finally enjoying some peace and quiet in the others’ absence. His features were illuminated by the soft moonlight streaming through the window, the only light in the otherwise dark room. The very picture of serenity. It reminded Lea of the day they met.

“It was a complete and utter shitshow,” Lea muttered as he sat on his bed, covering his face with his hands. “I messed up, Isa. Like, abandoned-my-date-on-the-dance-floor kind of messed up.”

Isa raised an eyebrow, otherwise as impassable as ever.

“Damn it, you were right, Isa,” Lea continued. “I should have just stayed here with you instead of getting swept up in all that fuss. Aerith will hate me now. As will everyone else.”

“Rightfully so.”

“Isn’t this the part where you cheer me up or something?”

“You want me to lie? Abandoning her was – as you would say – a dick move. However…” his tone softened. “You want to friends with everyone you meet. You want them all to get you memorised. But that means you risk losing sight of what’s right. Why did you say yes to Aerith, anyway?”

“I guess, I thought it would make her happy. And friends want friends to be happy.”

“And look what happened. Whatever happened in there, neither of you have ended up particularly happy. Perhaps you should start thinking about what makes _you_ happy.”

“Since when were you an agony aunt?” Lea quipped, although he had to admit that Isa was correct, as per usual. That guy seemed to know him better than he knew himself. 

_What makes me happy…_

He got off the bed, done with self-pity, and reached out his hand.

“Wanna dance?”

_It’s not like this night could get any worse. May as well go out on a limb._

“What?” Isa stuttered, perplexed at the sudden proposition.

“There’s no-one else here. Besides, I need to get value out of this bloody suit.”

“There’s no music.”

“Yes there is. Just open the window.”

Isa sighed and did as Lea asked. The music from the hall was loud enough to carry across the grounds, faintly audible even in their top-floor dorm. A traditional folk song was playing, one that was familiar to every Radiant Garden resident since generations past. It was a song that Isa quite liked. He set down his book and accepted Lea’s open hand. Isa attempted to maintain his stoic countenance – resting bitch face, as Lea would say – but the faint moonlight was enough for Lea to see the flush of red on his cheeks.

“You do realise I have no idea what I’m supposed to do?”

“Chill, Isa, it’s easy. Just copy what I do.”

Lea placed his free hand on Isa’s shoulder, who tentatively did the same. They attempted to move in time with the music, narrowly avoiding stepping on each other’s toes. It wasn’t exactly a graceful performance, but they didn’t care. Lea was smiling, and so was Isa. Lea was the only one with whom Isa could truly feel uninhibited, and dancing with him in such a stupid and spontaneous way felt so _right._ Perhaps, if this is what the rest of the students in the hall felt, he could finally understand what all the fuss was about.

Even at arm’s length, the closeness between the two gave Lea an electrifying feeling and an overwhelming desire to close the gap. He was sick of playing a part – he was going to take Isa’s advice and do what made him happy. Lea thought about Yuffie, and how he’d always admired the way she couldn’t care less what other people thought of her. If Yuffie had the courage to dress scantily and breakdance at a high-society function, then Lea could surely have the courage to be honest about how he truly felt.

“Isa, I –”

He was cut off abruptly when the door opened and two people clattered into the dorm. Rufus, one of their roommates, stumbled towards his bed with his date in tow, their faces seemingly glued together. It was only when they stopped for breath that they realised the room was not unoccupied as they had hoped. Rufus gawked at the sight of the two boys embracing.

“What the fuck are you two doing?!”

***

The days following that fateful evening were absolutely torturous. Rumours spread like wildfire throughout the school, new details being added with each whisper. The story quickly morphed into Rufus having stumbled across Lea and Isa engaging in any number of obscene acts. To say Lea was mortified was the understatement of the century. However, it was Isa he was worried about; Lea had barely seen him since the incident. Isa hated being the centre of attention, and had taken to hiding out in obscure areas of the school to study, only returning to the dorm long after the others had fallen asleep.

He’d ruined everything. He’d irreparably damaged his friendship with Isa. None of his other friends would speak to him anymore, and he knew he deserved it. Apparently Squall and Yuffie had to spend the remainder of the dance consoling Aerith after Lea ditched her. He couldn’t even go between classes without some random kid calling him unrepeatable slurs.

The only slight comfort was that the summer holidays would commence at the end of the week; a whole month away from that hell-hole. He could ask to transfer back to his old school, Royal School be damned. He’d never belonged there.

***

The last day of term couldn’t come quick enough. Lea cleared out his cupboard space, shoved his belongings into a bag and left the school without looking back. The last three years of his life had been spent within the walls of that institution, and he wouldn’t miss it. Well, there was something he would miss. Some _one._ A certain sarcastic git that he couldn’t imagine never seeing again. Isa had already packed up and left for the summer, without as much as a goodbye. Lea would have to be content just missing what’s gone – much easier said than done.

Lea walked through the town, back to his grandparents’ house. Breaking the news to them that he wanted to get as far away from the Royal School as possible would not be fun, especially when they had been so proud of him when he got accepted. Tears started to well up in his eyes, which he hurriedly wiped away before anyone saw him cry in public.

 _Is there anyone I haven’t disappointed lately?_

He reached the familiar house and knocked on the door. His grandmother opened it, and immediately engulfed him in a hug so tight he could barely breathe. She was a formidable woman, with the same bright red hair as Lea; at first glance she was rather terrifying, but she had a big soft spot for her only grandson.

“Lea! It’s so good to see you again!”

She released him and looked him up and down.

“You’ve grown since we last saw you. How long has it been? Two months? Honestly, the school’s not that far away, you could have visited more often… Wait, are you crying?”

Lea couldn’t hold it together anymore. He was sixteen, for crying out loud, but there he was crying to his granny like a six-year-old who’d dropped their ice cream.

“I’ve had a crappy week,” he said in-between tearful sniffs.

“Poor dear. Your friend mentioned that something had happened. He didn’t say what, though.”

“What friend?”

“That rich kid you hang out with. He’s not long here, said he wanted to talk.”

“Isa’s here?!”

_Impeccable timing, I’m a right mess…_

“Yes. He’s in the kitchen with your grandfather. But first, sort out your face…”

She pulled an oversized handkerchief seemingly out of nowhere and abrasively wiped his face, much to his embarrassment.

_I’m not a child!_

He escaped his grandmother’s fussing and went into the kitchen, where he was greeted with the bizarre sight of Isa and his grandfather drinking tea while discussing the state of Radiant Garden’s political system.

“I have immense respect for the Sage King; this town has been positively transformed compared to when I was your age. But isn’t it strange how he spends all day cooped up in that castle, and his citizens don’t even know what he looks like – oh, hello, Lea!”

“Hi, grandad,” Lea said distractedly, wondering what the hell Isa was doing in his house.

“Good to see you, boy! We can catch up later, once you’ve finished planning with your pal. Goodness, it’s the first day of the holidays and you’re already doing homework together – they certainly work you hard at that Royal School!”

“Ah, yeah, they do,” Lea replied, pretending he knew what on earth his grandfather was talking about.

“Work hard, kids,” his grandfather said cheerfully, leaving them alone in the kitchen.

Isa sipped his tea without saying a word, inscrutable as usual. The last time they’d properly spoken Lea had been on the verge of saying something terribly embarrassing, before that idiot Rufus ruined everything. Lea was convinced that Isa hated him now, yet there he was.

_God this is awkward._

“Care to explain why you’re in my house? And it definitely ain’t about homework.”

“No, of course not. Getting you to do homework before the final week of summer is impossible,” Isa said matter-of-factly. “I asked the porter to drop me off here before going home. I thought you would already be here.”

_Of course he has a freaking porter._

“You gotta remember that us plebs have to _walk_ between places.”

“I just wanted to talk, away from all the others.”

Lea’s heart was racing; he couldn’t tell if it was from excitement or dread. Probably both.

“Look, Isa, I’m so sorry about everything. Dragging you into my mess.”

“I’m sorry too, for ignoring you. I just… I couldn’t stand being laughed at everywhere I went. And being seen together would have caused more grief for both of us.”

“Yeah…”

“The reason why I am here is that you never got to finish what you were saying that evening.”

_He must have figured it out already. Doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together._

Lea sighed and scratched the back of his head, as he often did when at a loss for words.

_Screw it. Time to admit it._

“I like you, Isa. And not just as a friend. Like, I should have asked you to the dance, as my… date.”

Lea’s face was as red as his hair. He couldn’t believe he’d actually said it. The initial flood of relief from finally being honest with himself turned to a sickening sinking feeling as Isa failed to respond. The blue haired boy sat in silence, gripping his mug of tea so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

“If you don’t see me that way, just say so. I can take it.”

“No, I… share the same sentiment.”

“Is that Isa-speak for ‘I think Lea is totally hot’?”

Isa snorted with laughter, the sound of which was music to Lea’s ears. This was a side of Isa that only he knew.

“Seriously, though,” Isa said, his voice tainted with concern. “It’s not that simple.”

“You like me. I like you. I think that’s pretty simple.”

“You don’t understand. In families like mine, such things are considered dishonourable. I’m my parents’ only son. They’ll want me married off to a girl of a similar status as soon as I finish school, so we can continue the family line and keep hold of our land.”

“That is some Romeo and Juliet kind of bullshit. Tell your family to shove it.”

“Actions have consequences, Lea. They would most certainly pull me out of school if they knew, and they’d do everything in their power to ensure we never see each other again. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve already heard the rumours; they know Rufus’s parents.”

Lea started pacing around the room, too pissed off to sit still.

“Well, do your parents know you’re with me now?”

“I asked the porter to tell them that I had misplaced a library book, and I needed more time to find and return it. I may or may not have bribed him.”

“Agh, this is so fucking messed up!” Lea shouted, pulling his hair in frustration. “What was it you told me that night? That I should focus on what makes me happy rather than pleasing everyone else. Seems like you didn’t get your own advice memorised.”

Isa laughed softly at the use of Lea’s insufferable catchphrase.

“I’m not saying that that we could never be together. Just not now; the stakes are too high. Their control over me will decrease once I’m an adult.”

“Maybe by then we’ll have discovered the secret to inter-world travel, and we can leave this godforsaken rock and find a world where people mind their own business.”

“Is that a promise?” Isa asked. “If so, let’s shake on it.”

“Good grief, you’re so formal.”

They exchanged a firm handshake which lingered longer than would be socially accepted. A new understanding had been reached, a hope for a better future. Two years was an excruciatingly long time to wait. For now, they were just two best friends with a whole month to fill.

Perhaps Lea’s life hadn’t been totally ruined after all, as long as Isa was by his side. A lot can change in a summer; by the time school resumed, the others students would be occupied with the latest salacious gossip and would hopefully leave him and Isa the hell alone. He could properly apologise to Aerith, and explain everything to her. Just two more years…

Unbeknownst to them, they would never return to school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art is by the amazing tealrobin.tumblr.com
> 
> Tumblr: irishkhfan


End file.
